Behind the scenes at a sex shop

TikTokker @lilch0mp has gained 500,000 followers for his “sex shop captain’s logs.”

Embedded is your essential guide to what’s good on the internet, written by Kate Lindsay and edited by Nick Catucci.

ICYMI: I tested the curse of the boyfriend sweater for GQ. —Kate

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TikTok has been more successful than any other social media platform at giving users a behind-the-scenes look at jobs they may otherwise never think about. From Home Depot paint-mixing to ASMR horse-hoof trimming, entire genres of content have emerged from unexpected professions. My favorite of this genre may be the account @lilch0mp, run by Jack, a Californian who works at a sex and smoke shop. He has gained over 500,000 followers in part due to his “captain’s logs,” in which he reports on notable events from his days at work, like having to kick customers out or people doing bizarre things in the parking lot. 

These logs regularly receive millions of views, as does Jack’s other content about his job, including his most viral video, which advises straight men on how to behave normally in a sex shop. 

@lilch0mpHope this helps ◡̈

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Sex shops can seem illicit or intimidating, but Jack’s videos expose the mundanities that are relatable to any retail worker. They also encourage a frank way of talking about sex—something that can get Jack in trouble with TikTok’s community guidelines. 

Jack has larger goals for his platform, which has already helped him and his girlfriend move into a new place. He worries about getting pigeonholed into content about a retail job he might not always have, an anxiety we talk about in this interview for paid subscribers. Read on for Jack’s thoughts on TikTok censorship, starting new projects, and running into his followers at the store.

Has your TikTok always been centered around sex shop content, or did you start with other things?